Have you ever had one of those moments?

Have you ever had a moment of pure joy that still stands out in your memory, one that wasn't tied to any particularly unusual external circumstances?  I find it interesting to look back at the moments of pure joy that stand out in my memory and to reflect upon one of those specific moments, because it wasn't tied to having achieved anything in particular, wasn't tied to another person's actions or words, and wasn't tied to any unusual circumstances in my life at that given moment.

When was it, you ask?  Well, it was a number of years ago when I was attending college in Northern California as an undergraduate.  The college is located in a town called Angwin, up a winding mountain road above St. Helena, CA.  The college is built on top of a long-dormant volcano and it is very beautiful there.  One lovely afternoon, there at the school, I was walking down some of the many steps at the school, in front of the music building on campus, going past a lovely fountain, and enjoying the beautiful weather.  It was sunny, warm, and a light breeze was blowing.  Suddenly, I was filled with the most incredible joy at simply being alive!  There was no other reason for the joy and it was such a wonderful few moments in time.  That was when I first realized that a person can simply be happy - can simply choose to be happy - no matter any other circumstances in life.  It was a profound, beautiful moment in time and one that I still treasure.

Live in joy today, even if you only find it for a moment, and know that you can choose to live in joy rather than fear.  It is a much more beautiful place to live.

Living in Joy

Greetings!  I don't know if any of you are fans of Dr. Wayne Dyer's work, however I know that I am indeed a fan.  A friend that I both like and admire mentioned how much he liked Dyer's work, so I decided to watch him on a PBS special.  There is so much that is positive and also practical in his advice, plus he introduced me to an ancient spiritual text that is over 3,000 years old, the Tao De Ching.  It give one much to ponder and to think about.

In case anyone thought I was trying to be disrespectful of the life choices made by others in my last post, I was not doing any such thing.  Rather, I was pondering the differences in what makes one person happy and content that in comparison, would make another one shudder should they feel constrained to live the same lifestyle.  In my case, I love freedom, love travel, and love the adventure of life.  Yet, to another (very close and dearly loved relative), those same things are not exciting, but are frightening.  Neither of us is either right or wrong, but rather we see the world so very differently, and that is part of what makes life so interesting, don't you think? 

In the end, we each create our own lives and it is up to us to figure out what makes us happy, then to pursue that happiness.  It is not a matter of right or wrong, it is a matter of choice.

Have a great day!!

Love this quote!

I love this quote by Michelangelo: “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”  It seems so true when we look at what many people seem to want or desire in their lives, don't you think?  I was pondering this idea on my drive in to work this morning, thinking of what does "contentment" really mean and why so many choose to live in fear rather than truly living their lives to the fullest. 

This was on my mind in looking, as well, at how very different the perspectives can be between people who grew up together, in the same house and with the same parents.  How is it that one will love the adventure of life, be curious about the world, and be willing to travel to distant lands on her/his own? Another sibling is frightened of going new places and the idea of going on his/her own (without a companion) is a terrifying enough thought that this person will choose to stay in one place.  It is not that s/he is truly happy about the life s/he is living, but rather will allow fear to dominate his/her life to the extent that staying stuck and supposedly being "content" is the choice made.  It seems such a tragedy, somehow.  If being "content" means allowing myself to be stuck in an unhappy situation because I lack the courage to change it, then I pray that I always remember Michelangelo's quote and always remember to set my aims high.